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William J. Frawley, president of the University of Mary Washington is on leave following his arrests in two incidents -- on April 10 and April 11 -- for driving under the influence. Both arrests followed car accidents. A statement from the university's board said that it "wants to express our deepest concerns and support for President Frawley at this very difficult time." Frawley has been president of the Virginia university since July. He was formerly dean of arts and sciences at George Washington University.

Things are getting worse for Charleston Southern University, which found out last week that the professor to whom it gave more than half of its endowment to invest was accused of fraud and not having the money or many millions he obtained from other investors. The Post and Courier reported that some of the other investors have now sued Charleston Southern, saying that Al Parish, the professor, used the institution as his base of operations, and so the university should share in the responsibility. Parish checked himself into a hospital, claiming amnesia, when federal investigations into his investment business started. On Thursday, a judge ordered him held without bail.

West Virginia University's board will be selecting a president -- with the faculty strongly opposing the favorite, a politically well connected lawyer, but students liking him, The Charleston Daily Mail reported. After an emergency Faculty Senate meeting to express concerns about the non-academic candidate, the board chair told the newspaper it wasn't clear how much faculty sentiment would matter. Many professors are concerned that the search hasn't been legitimate -- and that politics have trumped qualifications.

A new temporary tax break designed to encourage people to use some of their IRA savings for charity has resulted in $70 million in donations to private colleges and universities in the first five months of the measure's existence, according to a study released Thursday by the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.

The University of Virginia on Thursday announced a $100 million gift -- the largest in the university's history -- to create a new school of leadership and public policy. The new school will offer both undergraduate and graduate programs.

A new trend in European higher education combines commuting students and foreign students. The Guardian reported that an increasing number of "Eurocommuter students" are studying in Britain but returning on weekends to their home countries elsewhere in Europe.